The U’s VoteProject has registered almost 2,500 new voters on campus since Fall Semester began.
More than a quarter of those came in the past five days during the group’s Blitz Week, a final push to get as many U students as possible registered before the state’s Oct. 6 mail-in registration deadline.
VoteProject has been working to increase the number of students going to the polls Nov. 48212;a demographic that could alter the outcomes of the Utah presidential and local races if it comes out in full force.
Each morning this week voter registration tables were set up outside the Union, on the Business Loop, in Presidents’ Circle, at the Marriott Library and at the Heritage Center.
At each table, voter registration forms, stickers and wristbands were available. Tables also had information about how to become a poll worker, when to vote, where to vote and how to get information about all of the candidates.
“We’re just trying to get as much information out about this election as possible and make it as easy as possible for U students to participate,” said VoteProject Director Thomas Jarvis.
VoteProject Assistant Director and Recruitment Coordinator Brenna Marron said volunteers at the booths were there to make sure registration forms were filled out correctly and then mail them in for students.
“This was a chance for students to do it the easy way,” Marron said.
Lauren Beard, a junior majoring in history and a volunteer at the VoteProject booth outside the Union, said she wanted to help because she thought it was important for people to exercise their right to vote.
“A lot of people just think it’s a hassle to register,” Beard said. “Putting a booth on campus gives them the convenience and an incentive to do it.”
In addition to voter registration and information tables, students set up a public address system in the Union free speech area Thursday during lunchtime for students to express their political views.
Any students who wanted to were able take the microphone for up to a minute and say whatever they wanted people to hear.
“We wanted to generate some hype on campus and increase the conversation level about all political topics,” Jarvis said.
Jarvis attributed the high number of new registrations to a reflection of national trends.
“This election is highly publicized and people are feeling more passionate about it than in years before,” he said. “We are getting a lot more interest in not only participating but in volunteering.”
He said this year VoteProject is databasing all the names and contact information of students who register to help in future elections, something that hasn’t been done in the past.
VoteProject conducted its first voter registration drive in 2004, when they registered a total of more than 5,000 voters on campus before the election. The goal of the group is to get the attention of candidates and make sure student issues are addressed by increasing the number of young people who vote.
Lennie MahlerStudents sign up to vote at the VoteProject.org table behind the Union Building on Thursday. The Vote Project table will register students through Friday.